Gaming machine

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a gaming machine with at least one display area (2) for a number of game symbols (3) which, after the player has pressed a start button (4) to start the game, are selected under the control of a computing unit (5) from a multitude of predetermined symbols and presented at positions in the display area (2) for the player to view. The invention calls for the gaming machine (1) to have, preferably in the display area (2), at least one chance-display zone (7, 7&#39;) in which the computing unit (5), optionally on actuation of a request unit (14), e.g., a request button, by the player, displays possible and/or increased and/or best-possible win chances, and/or instructions for determining them, which are available for the next game or which, on removal of one or more of the game symbols or game-symbol combinations presented for the next game, apply or could possibly be achieved in the next game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a gaming machine having at least one displayfield, in particular a screen, for a plurality of game symbols, e.g.,playing card symbols, fruit machine symbols, or similar, wherein theplayer is presented with the game symbols after the game or a play(section of the game) is started, possibly by the player actuating astart key and/or inserting a coin, or after the expiry of a certainperiod of time, and said symbols appear at a predetermined number ofpositions in the display field under the control of a computer unit ormicroprocessor after they have been selected from a large number ofpredetermined or existing game symbols in accordance with randomizingcriteria, or by implementing a computer program, or in accordance witharbitrarily given criteria, wherein especially a win is determined by,or is made dependent on, the position or location in the display fieldat which the game symbol appears or is presented, and/or by or on thetype of selected or presented game symbols, and/or by or on the numberof identical game symbols, and if appropriate a win is indicated on awin display, wherein the gaming machine possesses preferably at leastone display area in the display field in which an attainable maximum winis indicated by the computer unit, possibly after the player actuates acall-up unit, e.g., a call-up button, wherein the player has the optionof selecting and holding or storing none, one or a number of theseindicated game symbols for the next game or the next section of thegame, and in the next game or section of the game the player is offeredby the computer unit, according to randomizing criteria or arbitrarilypredetermined criteria, game symbols taken from the large number ofpredetermined or still available game symbols to replace thenon-selected or non-stored game symbols, and in this next game orsection of the game the win is made dependent in particular on theposition and/or the type and/or the identicality of all the game symbolsdisplayed at that time, wherein the display field, and in particular thedisplay area, contains an additional winning chances display area inwhich, in particular to make it easier to implement various individualgame strategies, and in addition to the game symbols corresponding tothe maximum possible win, the computer unit also displays a number ofother or all possible attainable win-related combinations of gamesymbols and/or information on for calculating the probabilities ofwinning, and the said combinations of game symbols are given or areperhaps attainable in the next game or the next section of the game,using the game symbols offered or available, or using the game symbolsor combination of game symbols stored by the player or selected by himto be stored for the next game or the next section of the game.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

German Patent Application A1 38 20 865 describes an entertainment devicein which symbols taken from an existing combination of symbols must beadded to other symbols in order to obtain a winning combination ofsymbols. Taking into account the game plan for winning, this devicerecommends to the player which symbols should be added to the heldsymbols, in order to obtain the largest possible win. At the same time,the player is given information on how easy it is to obtain theseadditional symbols, or he is informed of the period of time within whicha control element must be actuated in order to obtain the desiredsymbol.

GB Patent Application A1 2,112,984 describes a gaming machine (fruitmachine) with rotary elements bearing symbols which also incorporates a"nudging" feature. Once a game has been played on this machine, thestationary rotary elements displaying a certain combination of symbolscan be indexed once more by nudging; the nudging function is madeavailable to the player in accordance with randomizing criteria and itenables him, perhaps, to improve the result which he has obtained andthus win a prize. Descriptions of similar devices can also be found inGB A1 2,165,385 or 2,117,155.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,735 relates to a poker game machine which, after thefirst game is completed, suggests to the player certain game symbolsthat should be held for use in the next game; at the same time, themachine displays the maximum prize that might be won during the nextgame if the game symbols which the machine offers to hold are indeedheld.

In all these known devices, the machine merely displays the maximumprize that can be won in the respective game being played. However, theprobability of winning this maximum prize is extremely low; usually,there are a number of other chances of winning which enjoy a much higherprobability of being realized. Certain game strategies are not helped byproviding the player with information on the maximum prize; furthermore,no information whatever is provided on the chances of winning if thegame symbols which the machine offers to store or hold are arbitrarilymodified precisely because the player wishes to pursue a strategy otherthan that suggested by the gaming machine.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to increase the attractiveness of gamingmachines for the player, or to help the player to make use of what are,in his opinion, the optimal chances of winning out of all the chanceswhich exist on the basis of the game programmed and/or of probabilityand/or of the number and/of the type of game symbols that are availableor that can be displayed by the computer. The specific aim of theinvention is to indicate to the player what are the best chances whichhe has of winning in a subsequent game, given the symbols orcombinations of symbols which are displayed or which he has selected;alternatively the player can be given tips on how best to utilize hischances, even if these objectively available and displayable chances ofwinning are often at odds with the game strategy and the psychologicalreactions of the player, having regard to the displayed game symbols; bycombining the actually existing chances of winning with a certain amountof "feel" on the part of the player, the latter should be able, withhelp from the gaming machine, to modify and perhaps improve his gamesituation and his prospects of winning against the machine; this actualor apparent improvement in the player's situation greatly enhances theattractiveness of the gaming machine.

In a gaming machine of the type referred to at the beginning, thesegoals are attained in the manner according to the invention by thefeatures mentioned above.

In this way, the player can follow various game strategies and he canassess the attainable chances of winning as a function of various gamesymbols or combinations of such symbols which he has arbitrarilyselected to be stored. Thus, the player is not only presented with adisplay of the maximum possible prize which he can win in the next gameusing the symbols which he has selected, but he is also shown all or atleast a number of the chances of winning that exist if he uses thosesymbols.

After the first game or play, at the end of which the gaming machinedisplays to the player the result obtained on the basis of the gamesymbols presented in the display field, the gaming machine can eithersimultaneously with this display, or after a call-up button has beenactuated, display the prizes that could be won in the next game using anindividual symbol (e.g. a joker) or several (e.g. several identicalsymbols) of the displayed game symbols or combinations of symbolsselected by the gaming machine. The player will choose his strategy onthe basis of the chances which are displayed. Only in exceptional caseswill the player be presented with just one opportunity of winning,namely when just one single win exists which is higher than thatobtainable with the displayed combination of symbols; this would be thecase, for example, when four identical card symbols (Poker) arepresented; thus, in the next game or hand, the only way to obtain ahigher win would be to aim for a display of five identical card symbols.

It is advantageous if the gaming machine operates in the manner whereinthe maximum win and a number of other or all possible winningcombinations of game symbols, or information regarding the probabilityof winning or how to determine such probability, can be called up ordisplayed, possibly by means of a call-up device at the touch of abutton or automatically, as a function of game symbols selected by theplayer himself from the game symbols offered by the computer unit,especially after actuation of at least one of the selection means, e.g.,hold keys, assigned to the individual game symbols appearing in thedisplay field. This is, because in such an embodiment of the inventionthe player himself can determine the chances of winning or the maximumpossible wins attainable with the game symbols which he finds attractiveand which he is considering holding for the next game,

In accordance with the invention, the features whereby in a winningchances display area, as an aid to determining the chances of winning inthe immediately following game or section of the game or the chancesoffered by a subsequent selection of symbols, the player may be shownall and/or an individual number and/or the type of symbols available orpredetermined for the next game, or the symbols which may be presentedby the computer unit in the next game. These features constitute anaddition or an alternative to the above-mentioned displays of thechances of winning. The player can then judge the possibility whether aparticular display of game symbols will actually appear. It isadvantageous to proceed in such a manner that, especially after acertain number of games and/or after the presentation or the appearanceof a certain number of game symbols, e.g. after the appearance of ajoker, it is possible either to reset the entire and/or an individualnumber and/or the type of game symbols displayed, or a given totaland/or individual number and/or type of game symbols can be added to theremaining not yet displayed game symbols; when this is done, the gamesymbols displayed or those selected by the player, especially thesymbols selected for a next game or on which a win is based, will beeliminated from the large number of predetermined game symbols or fromthe respective still available set of game symbols and will no longer beoffered in any subsequent games.

Finally, the invention also relates to a method supporting the gamestrategies of a player, or for increasing the attractiveness of a gameor for optimizing the win when playing with a gaming machine having atleast one display field for a number of game symbols, e.g., playing cardsymbols, fruit machine symbols and similar, wherein, after the game hasbeen started by actuating a start button, the game symbols, which areselected from a large number of predetermined game symbols, arepresented to the player at positions in the display area, in particulara screen or adjacently arranged rotary elements, under the control of acomputer unit or a microprocessor, wherein a win is determined by ormade dependent in particular on the position or location in the displayfield and/or by or on the type and/or by or on the number of identicalgame symbols appearing among the game symbols selected and presented inthe display field, wherein the player has the option of selecting andstoring none or one or a number of these displayed game symbols for thenext game, wherein the player is given a display showing the maximumachievable win in the next game, wherein in the next game the computerunit offers the player new game symbols only at the positions of thegame symbols which were not selected or not stored or not held, andwherein, in this subsequent further game, the win is made dependent onall the game symbols then displayed in the display field, wherein in atleast one winning chances display area the player is offered a displayof all or of a number of winning combinations of game symbols and isgiven information regarding or for calculating the probabilities ofwinning which would realistically exist in the following game or sectionof the game if one or a number of the game symbols suggested as suitablefor storage by the computer unit is or are stored, or if a game symbolor symbols selected for storage by the player is or are stored and/or ifa combination of game symbols suggested for storage by the computer unitor selected for storage by the player is stored.

Such gaming machines may, for example, employ as game symbols thevarious commonly known playing card symbols or the picture symbols whichare displayed on the rotary members of fruit machines. With these gamingmachines, it is possible to play, for example, poker, "17 and 4" or anyother kind of game in which the object is to obtain a certain number ofsymbols, distributed over a certain number of positions; in principle,it makes no difference whether the aim of the game is to obtain the gamesymbols with the highest possible values, e.g. card values or points, orwhether the game symbols have to be arranged in a certain order, orwhether certain combinations and/or values and/or arrangements of thevarious game symbols have to be obtained.

Advantageously, the game symbols presented in the display field, or awin calculation based thereon, are determined or displayed in accordancewith a preestablished programmed (game plan) stored in the computer; thegame symbols may be randomly selected, especially with the aid of arandom symbol generator, and the wins are assigned to the selected gamesymbols by means of a win table stored or provided in the programmed;alternatively, it would be possible to proceed in such a way that, atthe start of the game, the prize predetermined for that game is randomlychosen by means of a random generator and, corresponding to thispredetermined prize, the game symbols to be displayed are determined bythe computer, using a list of game symbols or on the basis ofpre-established programmed data. In each case, all or a majority of thechances of winning are presented to the player in the appropriatemanner, so that on the basis of this display of the chances of winningor of this plan for winning, the player can form a clear impression ofthe chances available to him in the next game, i,e. either from thedirect display of the easily achievable wins that are likely to occur inthe next game, or by performing his own calculation of his chances ofwinning, based on the information provided to him regarding the symbolsstill in play or still available to be played, or based on theinformation regarding the probability with which certain prizes can bewon.

In the following the invention will be described in more detail, makingreference, by way of example, to the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of the structure of a gaming machineaccording to the invention and

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 provide detailed views of an area in which thechances of winning are displayed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A gaming machine according to the invention comprises a housing 12, herediagrammatically indicated, with the necessary facilities for playingthe games; such facilities include a display field 2, an array of pushbuttons 13, a chances (of winning) display area 7 and a computer unit 5.It is understood that several display panels or several arrays of pushbuttons may be provided; in addition, further panels for the appropriatedisplays and for the push buttons needed to operate the gaming machineare also provided. The computer unit 5 and the units operating thedisplay field 2 or the wires 18 connecting the push buttons 4, 8, 11 and14 and the computer unit 5 run inside the housing 12 and are onlypartially shown here. The game symbols 3 selected by the computer unit 5are displayed in the display field 2; also, at least one display 15 canbe provided to show the amount of money bet, at least one display 16 toshow the amount of prize money available, at least one display 6 to showthe prize won in the game or portion of the game that has just takenplace, and at least one display 17 showing how the prize might perhapsbe doubled, etc. Below the display field 2 is arranged an array of pushbuttons 13 containing individual selecting means 8 of any desireddesign, e.g. push buttons, joysticks or knobs, assigned to theindividual game symbols 3 in the display field 2, and by means of whichsignals can be supplied to the computer unit 5 identifying those gamesymbols which should be stored or held for the next game. These pushbuttons 8 may also be illuminated by the microprocessor 5 in order togive the player tips that he should consider storing the game symbolsindicated in this manner for use in the next game. In principle, anacoustical signal may also be given to draw attention to the fact thatgame symbols which are potentially worth storing have been indicated.

A start button 4, a coin slot 19, a call-up button 14 and also a pay-outbutton 11 complete the array of push buttons 13.

Above, below or to the side of the display field 2 is arranged a winningchances display area 7 in which the computer unit 5 displays appropriatedata to inform the player of his chances of winning if, for the nextgame, he retains certain game symbols 3' from among the game symbols 3displayed in the display field 2 by the computer unit 5.

The computer unit 5 is connected to the display field 2 or the winningchances display area 7 by, for example, a video interface 9; normally,all the information displays are provided on a screen; it is possible toprovide separate video interfaces both for the display fieid 2 and forthe winning chances display area 7 if these units are formed by separatescreens. The information displays 6, 15, 16, 17 and any other displaysthat may be needed are activated by the computer unit 5 via appropriatescreens, displays, lamps or light arrays. In addition, the start button4 and the coin slot 19 may be assigned to the computer unit 5 so thatthe gaming machine may be started up in the known manner.

A game played with the gaming machine according to the invention mightproceed as follows:

Once the coin has been inserted into the slot, and if necessary afterthe player has actuated a start button 4, or after a certain amount oftime has elapsed, the computer unit 5 offers the player in display field2, for example via the appropriate video interfaces 9, five playing cardsymbols in the five spaces which in this case are available; in thepresent case an ace, a four, a six, an ace and three of diamonds aredisplayed. At the same time that the machine displays these game symbols3, which are statistically or randomly selected by the computer unit 5,or after a call-up button 14 is activated by the player, the computingunit 5 indicates in the winning chances display 7 the chances of winningwhich are readily achievable if the player actually stores certain gamesymbols 3' which the computer unit 5 has judged to be advantageous forthe next game. In the present case, since it is a type of poker gamethat is being played, the computer unit 5 has suggested that two gamesymbols 3', namely the two aces, should be stored and at the same timeit displays the possible ways of winning the next game by obtainingfive, four or three aces, and these possible ways of winning areassigned various prize values in the display fields 21. In addition tothe display panels 21 indicating the amount of the attainable prizes orcombinations of prizes, it is also possible to offer the player adisplay 20 showing the probability with which the given combinations ofgame symbols or the prizes are likely to be attained. For this purpose,at least one display panel 20 is arranged in the winning chances displayarea 7 to indicate the likelihood, expressed in percentage terms or theprobability with which an indicated combination of game symbols or anoffered possibility of winning can be realized.

Thus, if the player, by actuating the hold buttons 8 assigned to the twoaces, confirms the suggestion that these two cards should be held andthen actuates the start button 4, or if the gaming machine isappropriately set up so that the player merely has to actuate the startbutton 4, or if by inserting another coin or coins he continues thegame, the two aces are stored for the next game or play and the computerunit 5 offers the player new game symbols only at positions 2, 3 and 5in the next game, and these symbols may also include aces, thus to agreater or lesser extent improving the offered chances of winning.

Alternatively, the player could ignore the chances of winning which havebeen suggested and, instead of going for a larger number of aces, couldalso attempt to obtain a straight flush. In this case, by actuating thecorresponding hold buttons 8, the player could hold, for example, anace, the three and the four or the three, the four and the six. In theevent that the player holds the three, the four and the six, two chancesof winning would be displayed, as shown in FIG. 2, in the winningchances display area 7, namely a straight flush starting with the twoand ending with the six, and a straight flush beginning with the threeand ending with the seven; both possibilities are attainable if thethree, the four and the six are retained for the next game byappropriately actuating the hold buttons 8 assigned to these gamesymbols. One possible chance of winning would also be to obtain twopairs (two aces+two threes or two aces+two fours or two threes+twofours) which in principle can be displayed in accordance with theinvention, but as a rule tend not to be displayed because these chancesof winning are not easy to achieve and would bring in only a small win.Advantageously, in addition to the chances offering the highest prizes,a number of chances that would also win large prizes are displayed.Which chances of winning are displayed is determined by the programmedor by the content of the respective computer memory.

If, by actuating the hold button 8, the player retains the ace, thethree and the four, then he has only one opportunity to obtain astraight flush, namely a straight flush starting with the ace and endingwith the five; as is shown in FIG. 3, in this case only a single displaywill appear in the winning chances display 7, and also a smaller prizecompared with the straight flushes shown in FIG. 2 will be displayed.The probability of obtaining one of the straight flushes, as determinedby the programmed, is the same for all the possibilities and is shown inpanel 20, for example, as 27%. The still available possibility ofobtaining three aces is also displayed.

It should be noted that the winning chances display 7 is either alwayspresented in combination with the game symbols offered by the computerunit 5, according to a selection of chances made by the computer unit,or this display is not presented until a button 14 is actuated to callup the chances of winning. As far as the game strategy is concerned, itis advantageous to make the display of the chances of winning dependenton which buttons 8 the player operates or which game symbols the playerintends to retain. If the computer unit 5 has proposed that certain gamesymbols be retained. e.g. by illuminating the hold buttons 8, then thechances of winning presented in the display area are initially limitedto these game symbols. Actuating just one or more buttons would,however, indicate to the computer unit 5 that the player is not going tomake use of the chances of winning which have been displayed and thecomputer unit 5 takes the game symbol(s) marked by actuation of thecorresponding hold button(s) 8 as the basis for presenting new chancesof winning. It would also be possible to provide the player with cancelbuttons to operate if he does not wish to accept game symbols suggestedby the computer. The individual game rules or the possibilities ofdisplaying the chances of winning as a function of times predeterminedby the computer or at times desired by the player, can be variouslyadjusted depending on the gaming machine. However, it is important thatin each case the player should be offered all or a number of feasiblyachievable chances of winning.

Normally the game proceeds by requiring the player to bet a certainamount of money for the first game and, if necessary, to bet a furthercertain amount of money for the subsequent game or play, although in thesecond game or the subsequent section of the game, certain game symbolsmay have been predetermined by the first game.

The chances of winning are put together by the computer unit 5 in such away that the chances of winning for specific game symbols orcombinations of game symbols are entered in advance into a memory 10allocated to the computer unit 5; at the same time, this memory 10 canalso be used to prepare chances of winning or suggestions adapted to theplayers' customary style of play, because players often prefer to acceptlower chances of winning if they are more easily achievable. It isadvantageous for the computer unit to display in the winning chancesdisplay area the best possible chances of winning and/or the highestpossible win that may be attained, given the game symbols which thecomputer has suggested be held or which the player himself has selectedto be held; for this purpose, the computer reads out from a memory unitassigned to it or to the microprocessor, and then displays, the possiblechances of winning or the maximum possible win achievable with certaingame symbols or combinations of game symbols which are presented, or itdisplays the result of a calculation, if necessary using data stored inthe memory unit relating to the probabilities of winning, prizeinformation, the values of symbols or combinations of symbols, dataconcerning the customary choice of symbols made by the player tooptimize his win or to maximize his win according to psychologicaland/or statistical data, etc. The display of the optimal win iscomplemented by a display of further opportunities of winning calculatedin the same way.

The computer unit 5 comprises essentially at least one microprocessorwhich carries out the appropriate calculations as a function of thegiven parameters relating to the chances of winning.

The number of game symbols displayed in the display field 2 can bearbitrarily selected; three, four, five or more symbols may be depictedand these may have any desired shape and appearance. Similarly, theprizes assigned to the individual game symbols or combinations ofsymbols may be arbitrarily chosen; it should be remembered, however,that as regards the chances of winning which they offer, poker machinesor fruit machines are similarly or comparably structured all around theworld, so that the game rules and prizes or chances of winning offeredby the gaming machine according to the invention will also be based onthese known types of gaming machines. The chances of winning displayedin the present case are based on a type of poker game comprising thecard symbols ace of diamonds, and the two of diamonds through to theking of diamonds, and each of these symbols exists in quintuplicate. Itis also entirely possible to design a gaming machine in such a way thatthe given game symbols comprise a deck of cards, i.e. the suits ofspades, hearts, diamonds and clubs from ace, and two to king, each cardbeing present only singly.

It should also be mentioned that the manufacturer of the gaming machinemay predetermine the probabilities of winning and the opportunities ofwinning, although in the game itself the game symbols or combinations ofsymbols are determined or displayed in a purely random manner by meansof random symbol generators or similar devices. Predetermined settingsare chosen in particular in order to increase the player's pleasure inplaying by increasing the wins. Appropriate reprogramming of thecomputer unit 5 can be carried out by exchanging the memories 10 or byprogramming in appropriately modified game parameters.

FIG. 4 describes an embodiment of a gaming machine known as a "fruitmachine".

In display field 2 the player is presented with a number of gamesymbols, in the present case cherries, apples, pears, bars and stars,which occur alongside each other in various display areas, in thepresent case in four display areas. The computer unit 5 determines whichsymbols will be displayed and in each display area one, two, three oreven more such game symbols are presented; in the present case, as isusual in fruit machines, three game symbols 3 are simultaneouslypresented in each display area. A win is made dependent on theappearance of game symbols at the respective display positions (top,middle, bottom). This is made clear by the winning chances display 7shown in FIG. 4

A win with the star symbols is possible only if a star appears at anypoint within each of the adjacent display areas; this explains thechance of winning shown for the four stars displayed.

Two cherries win when they appear in the two right-hand display areas,in the middle, which is indicated by the arrow 22. One cherry wins whenit appears on the far right of the display. Three bars win when theyappear in the three left-hand display areas, in the middle, which isindicated by the arrow 22. Thus, in the present case the four mostrealistic chances of winning are indicated which would be achievable ifthe first, second and fourth game symbols were to be held. The player,by activating the button 8 assigned to the display area with the apple,may indicate that he wishes to retain this (these) game symbol(s) (i.e.also the star at the top and below it the bar) and does not wish toretain the game symbols which are suggested by the machine; only then isthe chance of winning associated with this choice of symbols displayed;since the chance of winning in this case is very small, the machine mayhave been programmed not to display any chance of winning. Chances ofwinning which are very unlikely to occur and which are not related tothe game symbol(s) selected are as a rule not displayed; i.e. aplurality of realistic chances of winning, but in principle not allchances of winning, are shown.

A further possibility, which may be alternatively or jointly provided insuch gaming machines will now be explained on the basis of FIG. 5.

It is possible, from game to game or for a certain number of games, topredetermine the number and/or type of game symbols generated by thecomputer or by the programmed, or a certain predetermined number of gamesymbols, varying from case to case, can be added at certain intervals.

From the total number of game symbols which are available for a game andfrom the number of individual symbols or from the indication how oftenan individual game symbol is present, the player can himself to acertain extent estimate the chances of a symbol being displayed in thenext game or the next play; the more often such a game symbol ispresent, the greater is the probability of that symbol appearing in thenext game or play. If, therefore, the player is given suggestions by thecomputer as to which symbols to retain, the player needs to know whetherthese suggestions are based on the game symbols originally present orwhether they were made on the basis of the number and type of symbolspredetermined for the next game. Depending on whichever is the case, theplayer can judge which game symbols he should keep for a subsequentgame, if he wants to keep any at all, or he can decide to have a perhapsalready displayed prize paid out to him, or he may not want to continueplaying at all by adding a new game or a new play.

At the player's request or because of a repeatedly appearing display,the player--as shown in FIG. 5, left--is presented, in a winning chancesdisplay panel 7', with an initial display of the game symbols availableat the start of the game.

Thus, at the start of the game, 24 cherries, 24 apples, 12 bars, 6 stars6 hearts, 48 blanks and 1 joker are available. Assuming that the gamesymbols are presented at four positions in display field 2, as was thecase in the preceding game as per FIG. 4, and assuming that a cherry,two blanks and an apple were presented in a completed first game, thenthe display depicted in winning chances display area 7' on theright-hand side of FIG. 5, namely 23 cherries, 23 apples, 12 bars, 6stars, 6 hearts, 46 blanks and 1 joker would be available for the nextgame. Thus, from game to game the symbols offered to the player would bededucted from the originally existing symbols, if some symbols appearedor were displayed more frequently; the other symbols are therefore leftover and occur in greater numbers in the following games so that theplayer can adjust his game accordingly.

In order to ensure that an adequate number of game symbols is availableat all times, provision can be made that after a certain number of gamesor after certain game symbols have appeared, the number of availablegame symbols can be added to in a random or predetermined fashion; thisaddition of game symbols or the game symbols available after theaddition has been made can in turn be displayed in the winning chancesdisplay area 7'.

The chances of winning in each case can be indicated on areas of thescreen separate from the display field 2; it is entirely possible forthe winning chances display to replace the display field 2, especiallywhen screen displays are used, so that game symbols or the chances ofwinning are displayed one after the other at the same place. The displayarea may be a video screen, a display, an LED display, or a windowbehind which rotary elements or film strips, or similar, move past; inthe display area, the game symbols are presented to the observer in anyknown manner at predetermined places.

It should be noted that in each game sequence the game symbols areselected by the computer in a way that cannot be influenced at all bythe player; the selection is made either on the basis of a randomizingstrategy or by implementing a programmed which determines the winsituations. Stop buttons which may be actuated by the player servemerely to fix the time when the game symbols are selected by thecomputer, but they do not provide any true chance of actually selectingthe game symbol which is offered according to random criteria.

It goes without saying that the computer or the gaming machine containsappropriate devices, especially computing units, which determine thegame symbols to be displayed and which display or pay out a win as afunction of the wins scored by the player. The achievable winningcombinations allocated to a certain combination of game symbols, i.e. byadding a number of other game symbols, are either recalculated from gameto game, based on corresponding memory data, or they are determined andstored in advance in memories for certain game combinations and needonly to be withdrawn from memory. At any event, appropriate switchingand control units exist which display some or all of the winningcombinations which are possible in the next game, in order to providethe player with the appropriate strategy-forming information. Thus, inaddition to displaying the maximum possible win, other possibilities ofwinning are displayed either jointly, i,e. in a block together with themaximum win, or also separately from the maximum win, in their owndisplay area. This possible display differs in principle from the fixedlists of all the possible winning combinations which are presented onvarious gaming machines, because the information offered to the playerin the gaming machines according to the invention is always dependent onthe game symbols actually appearing in the display field 2 or on thegame symbols which have been held over from a previous game, so that therelevant information needed by the player is available in the shortestpossible time.

In addition, it should be noted that the nudging function may also beprovided in the fruit machines according to the invention as anadditional feature of the method of playing according to the invention,i.e. after the selection procedure has been completed or the gamesymbols have been identified which will be retained for the next game orsection of the game, and once this next game or section of the game hasbeen played, the displayed card symbols or fruit machine symbols can besubsequently modified by "nudging" in order to improve the winsituation.

What is claimed:
 1. A gaming machine comprising(a) a computer includinga micro processor; (b) a first display connected to the computer fordisplaying a plurality of randomly selected computer-generated gamingsymbols upon starting the game by initiating a starter,a first controlfor paying out possible winnings, a second control for calling-upadditional computer generated gaming symbols, a plurality of selectingdevices associated to each of the plurality of randomly selectedcomputer-generated gaming symbols for one of immediately selecting,storing and selecting later each of the plurality of randomly selectedcomputer-generated gaming symbols; a first indicator for indicating atotal winning amount, a second indicator for indicting an availablewinning amount at any time during the game, a third indicator forindicating an amount won in a previous game, a fourth indicator forproviding advice as to how to double a winning amount; (c) a seconddisplay for displaying a game-specific combination of gaming symbolsselected from the first display by pressing one of the plurality ofselecting devices associated to each of the plurality of the randomlyselected computer-generated gaming symbols and the computer-generatedgaming symbols called up by the second control of the first display areaand includinga price value display for displaying a price value of thegame-specific combination of gaming symbols selected in the seconddisplay, and further including a probability display for indicatingwinning chances of the game-specific combination of gaming symbolsdisplayed in the second display.
 2. The gaming machine according toclaim 1, further comprising at least one of acoustical and opticalindicators for indicating win-related preference for selecting orstoring of gaming symbols.
 3. The gaming machine according to claim 2,wherein the probability display is accomplished by displaying possiblewin-related combinations of game symbols.
 4. The gaming machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the game symbols identified asrepresenting possible win-related are illuminated.
 5. The gaming machineaccording to claim 4, wherein the win-related combinations of gamesymbols are displayed when advantageous for selection by the player. 6.The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the game symbols arefruit symbols.
 7. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein thesecond display is a video display screen.
 8. The gaming machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the game symbols are identical to card ofcard games.
 9. A method for playing with a gaming machine comprising thesteps ofstarting the gaming machine to display randomly selectedcomputer generated gaming symbols; selecting from a plurality ofrandomly selected computer generated gaming symbol such gaming symbolswhich are favorable for winning; selecting at least one of the steps ofstoring non-selected gaming symbols from the plurality of randomlyselected computer generated gaming symbols for a later use and callingup new randomly selected computer generated gaming symbols; observingduring the selection steps a display indicating a probability of winningwhich is associated to each gaming symbol selected.
 10. The method forplaying with a gaming machine according to claim 9, further comprisingthe step of observing during the selection step the price value ofwinning.
 11. The method for playing with a gaming machine according toclaim 9, further comprising the step of enhancing acoustically theselection steps when win-related preferences are selected.
 12. Themethod for playing with a gaming machine according to claim 9, furthercomprising the step of enhancing optically the selection steps whenwin-related preferences are selected.
 13. A game machine comprising(a) acomputer including a microprocessor; (b) a first display connected tothe computer for displaying a plurality of randomly selectedcomputer-generated gaming symbols upon starting a game by initiating astarter, a plurality of selecting devices, each selecting device beingassociated to one of the plurality of randomly selectedcomputer-generated gaming symbols for immediately selecting and storingfor later use of at least one of the plurality of randomly selectedcomputer-generated gaming symbols, a control for calling-up anddisplaying in the first display additional randomly selectedcomputer-generated gaming symbols by replacing not selected and notstored gaming symbols; (c) a resulting combination being determined bygame-specific combinations including the gaming symbols stored by anactuated one of the plurality of selecting devices associated with theplurality of the randomly selected computer-generated gaming symbols andby the computer-generated gaming symbols called up by said control; (d)a second display for displaying one of at least one attainable winningcombination based on and attainable with the game-specific combinationsof gaming symbols selected and stored by the actuated selecting devices,and displaying winning probabilities of at least one attainable winningcombination based on the game-specific game combinations of gamingsymbols selected and stored by the actuated selecting devices; and (e) athird display for indicating the winning combination resulting in amaximum winning amount.
 14. A method for playing with a gaming machinecomprising the steps of:starting the gaming machine to display randomlyselected computer generated gaming symbols; selecting from a pluralityof randomly selected computer-generated gaming symbols such gamingsymbols which are favorable for winning as a game-specific combination;replacing non-selected gaming symbols from the plurality of randomlyselected computer-generated gaming symbols by calling up new randomlyselected computer-generated gaming symbols for configuring a possiblewinning combination; and observing during the selecting step and beforethe replacing step a display indicating at least one attainable winningcombination based on one of the game specific combinations and aprobability of winning which is associated to at least one game-specificcombination of gaming symbols selected and stored.